Contract Removal Allows Teachers to Secure Loans
The removal of teachers’ contracts will allow them to meet stringent requirements to obtain home loans and other major purchases.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, while highlighting this, said the removal of teachers’ contracts also allows many members of the education contract to secure loans. Mr Rabuka’s comment comes after Opposition parliamentarian, Premila Kumar, stated there were no lifelong jobs including in the private sector.
In response, Mr Rabuka said many lending institutions were not able to approve loans of teachers and education ministry because they had no secure source of income.
“I do not know where Premila Kumar is coming from. I have heard from both the Fijian Teachers Association and the Fiji Teachers Union,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro said the ministry would not have a war of words with Ms Kumar. Mr Radrodro said the ministry was busy preparing for the new school year.
“Open contracts for civil servants are policies of the Government designed to support career civil servants who as a result are able to build themselves careers and go up the ladder, the harder they work,” he said.
“Such policies have always encouraged a sense of ownership for workers who know they account to those around them each day and are not complacent.”
He said in as far as the 60 year retirement was concerned, it was the role of the Government to create employment opportunities for school leavers.
“Also, to provide promotion opportunities for senior teachers who can move on to executive roles in the civil service, the foreign
Diplomatic Corp or even to the private sector.
“Limiting retirement to 55 to be able to cater for school leavers must never be a concern that limits retirement age,” he said.
He said a creative Government allowed for longevity in retirement whereby people who could still be employed continue to do so comfortably.